The present embodiments relate generally to medical devices, and more particularly, apparatus and methods suitable for removing lymph nodes or providing a tissue anchor during a translumenal medical procedure.
Translumenal procedures generally encompass the formation of perforations in visceral walls to gain access to adjacent structures of the body. For example, culdoscopy was developed over 70 years ago, and involves transvaginally accessing the peritoneal cavity by forming a perforation in the cul de sac. This access to the peritoneal cavity allows medical professionals to visually inspect numerous anatomical structures, as well as perform various procedures such as biopsies or other operations. Many translumenal procedures for gaining access to different body cavities using other bodily lumens have also been developed. Generally, each of the translumenal procedures require the use of several different medical instruments, such as a cutting instrument to form the perforation, an endoscope or other visualizing device to inspect the area or otherwise perform some procedure, and then a closure instrument to close the perforation.
Relatively recent attempts have focused on the translumenal removal of lymph nodes. See Fritscher-Ravens, et al., “Endoscopic Transgastric Lymphadenectomy Using Endoscopic Ultrasound For Selection and Guidance,” Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Vol. 63, Issue 2, pp. 302-306 (2006). In this article, selected lymph nodes were punctured with a 19-gauge Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) needle. A metal anchor with thread, loaded onto the needle, was placed across the lymph node to pull the node toward the stomach. After gastric-wall dissection with a needle knife at the point of emergence of the thread, the nodes were removed by pulling on the thread and the anchor. The gastric incision then was closed with an endoscopic suturing system.
While the above-referenced article provides a foundation for translumenal removal of lymph nodes, it is an emerging approach and merits the development of new and improved techniques.